It is not uncommon for devices in a communication network to be used for malicious purposes to attempt to compromise the network, thereby preventing legitimate devices from enjoying the services of the network. Such an attack is called a “denial-of-service” (DoS) attack, or if multiple devices across the network are used, a “distributed denial-of-service” (DDoS) attack. One approach for implementing a DoS or DDoS attack includes overwhelming a target device or network with external communications, so that it cannot respond to legitimate traffic.
In other instances, devices in a communication network may provide other forms of malicious content to contaminate databases, blogs, and/or social media sites. As just one example, external devices may supply extraneous content to social media sites to alter context metadata that is used to determine advertising content for the site. Such content is often originated using software routines, such as bots. In some instances, human input may also be used (e.g., in a coordinated effort with multiple users) to provide extraneous content.